Letters to Ronnie Pilot
by ElphieThroppDG28
Summary: Through a school program, Ronnie and Bella become pen pals. After her parents divorce, Ronnie stops keeping in touch. Bella, unfazed, keeps writing, knowing she will be unanswered. This is an experiment. Please R & R and let me know if I should continue! ABANDONED.


_Okay, I'm not sure if I'm gonna continue this. I just thought it would be interesting. So I'm posting a "pilot" chapter for people to read and review, and if it's a complete failure, then I'll just type it for my own enjoyment and not post it._

_This story was modeled after a program at my elementary school. We used to have pen pals, but I think I only wrote mine one time. XD Anyway, I was in a WTWTA mood (surprise, surprise!), and I had just finished reading the Last Song, and...well, I'm pretty sure you guys can figure out the rest._

_The idea that I have: Bella and Ronnie become pen pals and write to each other. But after her parents divorce, Ronnie becomes rebellious and angsty, and breaks off communication with Bella. Bella keeps writing, because once her life gets out of control, she needs somewhere to vent her feelings. Rather than return them, Ronine's mother keeps the letters, and she waits for the right time to show them to her daughter. _

_When it takes place: before/during/possibly after the Last Song; during "My Little Wild Thing"_

_Please read & review! It means a lot to me! I need to know if I should continue this!_

...

"Pilot" Chapter

"Alright, settle down!" Mrs. Wertben said. "Settle down, everyone!"

Bella breathed in and out slowly. She hated her fifth grade class. Everyone was always rowdy and noisy, which was why she escaped into a book most of the day.

"Whatcha readin', nerd?" Gerry Anne asked.

"What's it to ya?" Bella shot back.

Gerry Anne glowered. "At least I do something more productive with my time than read. Oh, like last weekend, I got to see Beyonce live. And then we got to meet her, and she's the sweetest person EVER. And then I got to hang out with her and go shopping and…"

Bella was used to tuning out this girl's shrill voice. Her parents had their own pizza restaurant, and they were very rich, which meant they got to do a lot of cool things, like meet celebrities and hang out with famous people. Bella tried not to be jealous, but when Gerry Anne bragged endlessly about how she had hugged Idina Menzel or exchanged numbers with Justin Timberlake, it was almost more than Bella could stand.

Mrs. Wertben had finally quieted the students down. "Okay, everyone! First on the agenda today is something very exciting!"

Everyone groaned. When Mrs. Wertben said something was "exciting", it usually meant it was the complete opposite.

"All of you are going to have your very own…pen pal!"

This caused a mix of reactions. Some kids thought it was pretty cool. Others thought it was lame. Bella didn't know what to think. She didn't even know what a pen pal was.

"Now, for those of you who don't know what that is, a pen pal is a person who lives out of state – sometimes out of the country – whom you correspond with by writing to them. It gives you a sense of cultural enhancement. I've taken into consideration each and every one of your unique personalities and tried to pair you accordingly to children from other schools across the nation. You'll each get a slip of paper stating your pen pal's name and where they live."

It seemed like forever until Bella finally received the thin white slip. She looked at what it said:

**Veronica Miller, Manhattan, NY**

…

"Veronica?" Tori asked once school was over. "Isn't that an old lady name?"

Bella shrugged. "I don't know. All Mrs. Wertben said was that we'd have to ask them what their age was and all that."

"Mr. Gage told us that, too!" She sighed. "And look who I have! Some chick named Penelope Benson! And she doesn't live anywhere cool! She lives in Kansas! I mean, come on! That place is like a wasteland of dust and grain!"

"Yeah," Bella said, not really listening. She was trying to picture what Veronica Miller looked like. Was she a blonde, like Gerry Anne? Or was she a brunette, like herself? Was she rude, or was she kind? Did she like to blend in, or stand out?

Would Veronica Miller even like her?

…

Bella sat at the dining room table that night, a blank piece of paper in front of her. She was having trouble thinking about what to write.

"Just tell her a little about yourself," her mother, Connie, suggested as she folded the laundry.

"What's there to tell?" Bella asked. "I'm, like, the most boring person in the universe."

"You can say that again," Claire mumbled, pretending to do her math homework.

"Claire," Connie warned. "That wasn't nice."

Claire rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Max looked up from a drawing, wanting to be included in the conversation. "You should ask if she has a little brother! Maybe then we can be best friends!"

"Sweetheart, Veronica lives all the way in New York," Connie explained.

"Where's that?" Max asked innocently.

"It might as well be on the other side of the planet," Claire said.

"Oh." Max hung his head, disappointed.

While her family had been conversing, Bella had finally gotten some inspiration:

_Dear Veronica,_

_My name is Isabella Carson (I go by Bella). I live in Riverside, Oregon. I'm in the fifth grade at Cranbrook Elementary School, and I'm eleven years old._

"Should I tell her how old I am and where I live?" Bella asked, second-guessing her letter.

"Not unless you want to have her turn out to be some forty-year-old Internet stalker," Claire said.

"Claire!" Connie said again. "This is through a school program. I'm sure it's safe to say things like that."

Bella thought of more things to write:

_I live with my mother, my sister, and my brother. I'm the middle child. My parents are "separated" right now, which means they're not living together. My sister Claire is two years older, but she acts like she's already a grown up. My brother Max is seven years younger than me, and he's really funny._

"Look what I drawed!" Max held up a picture proudly. "It's me! I'm Max the Super Wolf!"

"Wow, Max! That's such a nice drawing!" Connie said in an overexcited voice. Bella noticed that Claire was trying her hardest not to start gagging.

_I've never been to New York, but I've heard that it's a big city, and that Broadway's there. Oh, and someone told me that the M 'n' M store's there, also. I really want to visit, but my mom says that we can't for a while. Not until she and my dad get things sorted out._

"Hey, Iz. You're not telling this Veronica chick that I'm obnoxious, are you?"

"Of course not," Bella said, not meeting her older sister's gaze. "Wouldn't dream of it, Claire."

_I hope you write back soon. I look forward to hearing from you!_

_Your pen pal,_

_Bella_

…

About a week later, Bella received the reply letter in the mail:

_Hi, Bella!_

_I like to go by a shortened name, too: Ronnie. I'm eleven, and I go to Landmark Middle School. I'm in the sixth grade. I also live with my mom, because my dad's a touring pianist, and I don't get to see him all that much anymore. I have a little brother, too. I think he's about your brother's age. His name is Jonah, and he's really smart, and kind of a pain at times. I don't have an older sister, and sometimes I wish I did. I haven't been to Oregon, either. I think my mom did one time. She says it's very rainy there. I've never been to Broadway, but I've been to the M 'n' M store. It's HUGE! And I got a ginormous bag of M 'n' Ms (but my mom made me share them with Jonah!). Maybe you can come visit me soon! Then we could go to Broadway together!_

_Write back soon!_

_Ronnie_

…

"Wow, Bella, I think you're pen pal really enjoys writing to you," Connie remarked after seeing the letter.

"I told you she has a brother!" Max said, parading around the house excitedly. "I told you!"

Claire sighed. "Whatever."

Bella reread the letter over and over again. Despite what she'd thought before, maybe she could learn to like Ronnie. They had a lot more in common than she thought.

In fact, Bella wasn't aware of how much she and Ronnie would relate to each other.

But she would.

Very, very soon.


End file.
